Family Harassed over Delayed Test Results

Staff Attorney Darren Jones is a member of HSLDA’s litigation team, which helps homeschool families who are facing legal challenges. He and his wife homeschool.Read more >>

Late in the 2012-13 school year, a Home School Legal Defense Association member family in the Bay District Schools area contacted us after receiving a letter from the district stating that they must enroll their child in public school within three days. The letter said that the family was out of compliance with Florida law since they had not submitted their child’s annual assessment.

The family explained to HSLDA that their child had taken a standardized achievement test less than one year from the date they reported the beginning of their home education program. The test was administered by a certified teacher through a local private school, but the school had not yet sent the results. The family had been regularly notifying public school officials about the status of the test results. They had received no warning that the district was going to take such a threatening position.

Immediate Response

HSLDA Staff Attorney Darren Jones immediately replied to the school district’s letter. He informed Bay District that while parents are required to assess their child’s progress on at least an annual basis, they cannot be prevented from homeschooling because the results are not sent to them in a timely manner. HSLDA also provided a copy of the test results, which the family had finally received.

The family received no further communication from the school district on this matter and was able to continue homeschooling their child without interruption.

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